


A Little Night Music

by DixieDale



Category: Clan O'Donnell - Fandom, Garrison's Gorillas
Genre: very very mild erotica in chapter two - kinda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-17 22:03:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14839989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DixieDale/pseuds/DixieDale
Summary: Craig Garrison thought an evening at the pub with Lynn, the guys and the O'Donnell sisters would be amusing, at least.  He was prepared for it getting potentially rowdy, knowing all the parties involved.  When Major Kevin Richards walked in with his sister Julie and some friends, Garrison knew things were likely to tilt in a whole different direction.  He just didn't realize how educational the evening would turn out to be.





	1. Slow Dancing

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter One is Gen. Chapter Two is as close to Gen as I could get it, heavily adapting the much more erotic original version. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of even the mildest of erotic suggestion, feel free to skip Chapter Two. Chapter One stands quite well on its own two feet.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fun evening at the pub, the team, Lynn and Craig Garrison, all four of the O'Donnell sisters - that was the plan. The arrival of Major Kevin Richards, his sister Julie and their guests complicate matters, and some very plain speaking ensues. Still, the evening has its good moments - a little drinking, a little slow dancing, even with maybe the promise of a little singing afterwards. Add in Julie Richards finally seeing the light, though not her brother, of course, and Coura getting in some action of her own, well, it didn't turn out too bad. Except for it leaving Garrison asking himself that rather disturbing question, what did that parting comment really mean? Or, to paraphrase, "when is a cigar just a cigar?"

It was one of those increasingly rare nights, when the lads were in residence at the Mansion, all were in reasonably good health, Meghada was home, and for an added treat, Meghada's sisters were visiting. For all of the sisters to be there was a miracle of timing, usually they were scattered hither and yon, Caeide at Haven, Ciena off on a mission somewhere, Coura, with the mentors she was interning with, one in New Zealand, one in Switzerland.

They were all at The Doves, except for Garrison and Lynn who were to join them later if possible, when Major Richards, his sister Julie, and two young officers, one American, one British, walked in. Richards nodded at their table, but took a table at the far end of the room for his group; Julie took a quick glance, but looked away. The O'Donnell women exchanged glances, wondering if there was any unpleasantness coming; Major Richards and his sister seemed to have a collective bee in their bonnets regarding the O'Donnell girls and their personal lives.

The girls really didn't want any trouble tonight; they were enjoying themselves, and they were just happy to have an evening out in company they enjoyed. Meghada was particularly enjoying having the time with Goniff, seeing him relaxed and clowning around again; he'd been with the guys on three back to back missions, then down with a bullet wound to the side from that last one. While they'd spent a great deal of the time together while he was recovering, this was the first opportunity they'd had to be out and about together, and they were having fun.

Coura had played the piano and sung for awhile, and the crowd in the pub had kept calling out requests. Some had cleared away a few of the empty tables, giving room for maybe three couples to dance at a time, and that had just added to the fun. She'd just given it up a bit ago, pleased at the applause, and had told the crowd either she or one of the others would play again later if they still wanted her to.

Now, though, they were all at the big round table, drinking beer, bourbon or whatever, laughing at the silly argument between Casino, Chief and Goniff about who had caused that latest breakage at the Mansion and exactly how, with uproarious results, with Actor looking on as usual, not getting involved, though Ciena could see a tiny grin fighting to break through; it seemed it was more of a matter of honor, that he didn't let himself get involved in their escapades, but deep down, she thought he derived much amusement from them.

Garrison and Lynn arrived just in time to see Julie Richards leave her brother's table and walk over to the big round table where the team was sitting.

"Uh oh, that's going to be a problem, Craig," she said nervously.

Garrison frowned down at her, "why? She's probably just saying hello to one of the girls."

"The problem is, she's joined this little campaign of Kevin's to see that the O'Donnell women, oh how did he put it, 'make better choices'. Julie is an inveterate matchmaker, and I'd guess those two officers sitting over there with Kevin have something to do with this; I mean, does the good Major usually show up here for his entertainment?? Lord, I'd hoped he'd finally come to his senses; he has to have seen he's not going to change things. But it looks like he's decided since Meghada can't come up with any 'better choices' on her own, he's going to present them to her on a silver platter. Craig, you KNOW how that just has to end! She'll likely send them BACK on a silver platter, or at least parts of them!"

Garrison took a look at Richards, sitting there with a slightly smug smile on his face, and the two good looking young officers sitting with him; then looked at the table with his team and the four women. Inside he groaned; he just wanted a peaceful evening - well, considering his guys, something at least approaching a peaceful evening, and now thanks to one British Major, that looked like a faint hope. Maybe he'd sic one of the unattached females on him, get him distracted.

Garrison looked at the three unattached females in question: no, probably not. Well, he had a feeling his sister wasn't so unattached as she let on. Of the others, Ciena worked for the Major, at least sort of, and Garrison couldn't see her putting up with his shit on a personal level. And Coura, if he had it right, even though she looked full grown, and sounded it, she was, what, thirteen? Well, obviously that wouldn't work! Though having a girl-child seeming to develop a hopeless passion for Major Richards MIGHT distract him somewhat! He'd have to see what Meghada thought, and he grinned at the idea.

Garrison moved quickly to his team, and after greeting them, told them he had to go do the political thing with Richards, but would be back as soon as he could. He hoped he could prevent any trouble on the Richards' side, and rapidly made his way to that table, smiled his way through the introductions and sat down. Meanwhile, Lynn moved quickly to try and intercept Julie and she was almost, but not quite, successful.

Julie had just stepped up behind Ciena and leaned over to speak in her ear; with the crowd, it was either that or shout. As Lynn reached them, she saw Ciena look up, smiling and say, breezily, "hey, Julie, looking for an intro? Don't think you've really MET anyone except in passing, not to socialize with, other than maybe one of my sisters, so pull up a chair and I'll . . ."

"Hardly! Kevin would have a fit! Look, he sent me over to ask you and Meghada and your sisters to join us. We have a couple of really nice men we'd like you to meet," she smiled, smiling over at the O'Donnell women, making it a point not to even glance at the men at the table, especially not the short blond Englishman. "Come on, we've saved chairs for you, and ordered up a pitcher."

The other O'Donnell women, having excellent (maybe better than excellent) hearing exchanged wide-eyed stares, and looked at Julie in amazement; they'd heard she was a bit of a silly thing, but this was beyond silly, this was flat out rude! A couple of them took the liberty of looking across the room at Kevin too, amazement not being the foremost expression in their eyes, anger and impatience battling it out for that position. They had all known Kevin had his moments of idiocy, especially where the women of their family was concerned, but they had really hoped he was getting it under control. Obviously not! How a man who had sent at least two, maybe three of them out into the direst of circumstances could then turn so ridiculously 'protective' of them in their personal lives was a total mystery. (Felane, their mother had a few theories, but when she'd casually voiced them to their father over breakfast, he'd spit his coffee all over the table before embarking on a long coughing spell. Something about his Little She-Wolf using words like 'sublimation' and 'repressed transference', along with a few of the others she'd used, well, that was more than he could handle. Her explanation of "I mean, he tries to make himself see himself as a big brother, maybe even a father-figure, which to his mind makes his interference acceptable. I think it's gotten worse recently probably because deep inside he DOESN'T see himself as a brother ORa father-figure, especially to Ciena and Coura." didn't help with trying to get over that coughing spell.) Ciena decided she had a few other steps she might take, only in the interests of the family, of course. Uh huh. She admitted to herself, but only to herself, that she was just a bit intrigued with the slightly pompous, more than a little stuck up older British officer, though for the life of her she couldn't have told you why. Just sometimes, her insides did that little melting kind of a thing when he was around; just a couple of times of wondering just what he'd be like in bed, times he'd be talking, and she'd be too busy watching his mouth to hear what he was saying, nothing important, of course. She flushed - good grief, her family would have a flying fit!! Odd thing was, her younger sister seemed to be looking at the British Major in much the same way, and in fact, on one occasion had turned to give Ciena a thoroughly wicked grin, licking her lips as if in appreciation, perhaps in anticipation. Oh, boy!

Ciena opened her mouth to tell Julie a thing or two, when Lynn spoke very quietly to Julie. "Julie, I have a brother of my own, and I really do know how annoying they can be, but what on earth did Kevin do to make you so mad you'd set him up for this much embarrassment? You really want to see him dumped on his ass in the middle of a pub THAT badly?"

Julie looked at her and her jaw dropped. "What are you talking about? I'm just relaying an invitation! And surely your brother would never allow these, these men, to pick a fight with a British Major!"

Ciena looked up with a dismayed frown. "The guys?? Oh, heavens, Julie, don't tell me this really WAS his idea? That's scary! I mean I work for the man, and it makes me really uncomfortable to think his judgement could be THAT bad! I count on him having some common sense, you know! My life often depends on it!"

Julie stood looking over at Lynn, and then down to Ciena, and back again, bewildered at their reaction. "He just, we just want to . . ."

"Yes, we know, interfere in our personal lives. But that's not something either of you have the right to do, and frankly, hon, it just really pisses us off, all of us. He tried with Caeide, and she tried to tell him as gently as possible to back off; in fact she tried for several years before he finally gave up. Thing is, Julie, he's shifted over to Meghada now, and Meghada is NOT Caeide; Caeide, for various reasons, has had to cultivate patience, forebearance, suffering fools gladly, all that kind of thing. Meghada's idea of suffering fools gladly is somewhat different, more along the line of gladly seeing to it that fools, especially fools who mess in her personal life, suffer! If Meghada gets up from this table and walks over there, your dear brother, and possibly those other two, will end up on their asses in the sawdust, before she comes back over here and continues her evening, with the man SHE chooses to spend her time with, and for very good and sufficient reasons," Ciena explained with a disgusted shake of her head. She heaved a very deep sigh.

"Now, Julie dear, here's what is going to happen. Coura is going back to the piano, she'll play, maybe sing a bit, distract everyone from this little scene. You and I, possibly Lynn if she is willing, will join your brother and friends for one drink, a drink - not beer! - then she and I will excuse ourself and come back over here. Caeide and Meghada will stay here with the guys, and you and your brother and your friends will leave them the fuck alone! Do I make myself clear?"

Julie, eyes big and round, nodded rapidly several times, gulped and backed away. Not only had she never heard any female use that word before, at least not in public, the expression on the other woman's face was very disconcerting. Ciena, while speaking very softly, had indeed made herself very, very clear!

Lynn was thinking that she really had to try to remember and write down this scene, this dialogue to share with Craig; he'd absolutely roar! Obviously Ciena wasn't Caeide either!

Ciena, leaned over to Coura, then over Meghada and Caeide, delivering messages, assurances, then she and Lynn moved with Julie over to Major Richards at his table. He was frowning now, seeing only one of the O'Donnell women in tow plus Garrison's sister, and especially seeing the almost frightened look on his sister's face.

Introductions were made, the women sat down; Coura had started playing again, and after a bit, started singing. Then at a discreet signal from Ciena, Coura started the long intro to a new song Meghada had written. Meghada looked up, met Goniff's eyes, lifted one brow; he recognized the song, guessed the reason; he broke off midsentence, smiled at her, and said, "I think I'm up to it, luv; let's give it a try." They moved over to the tiny improvised dance floor, and as they got there, Coura moved from the intro into the song proper, slow dancing, oh so slow. They were so close to the same height that they could rest their heads next to each other, temple to temple, blond hair against red, his arms folded around her waist, her hands clasped together at the back of his neck, forearms tucked tight against him as they moved to the music, exactly to the tempo, not a hairline between their bodies from shoulder to thighs.

This was what Ciena had wanted everyone, particularly Kevin and Julie, to see, to maybe finally admit to themselves, that this was not something to be messed with. She'd seen it at the cottage while going thru her sister's new music; she'd wanted to see how this one would be to dance to, and asked her sister and the Englishman to demonstrate while Coura played the small piano and sang the words softly. Ciena had sat in amazement then, and it was no different now; if ever you could say dancing was like making love, this was it, the way they moved, swayed together. No one else joined them on the dance floor, not after they started; everyone watched, enthralled. Admittedly, not everyone was approving, but certainly they had everyone's attention.

Richards had stiffened, red-faced, offended, his lips tightly pursed. Julie was staring like she'd never seen anyone dance before. She saw Goniff tilt his head ever so slightly to whisper something in Meghada's ear, saw the woman lean back to look at him, eyes looking into his, and oh that warmth in that shared look! They nestled back together, moving together like she'd have thought impossible, flawlessly. A word or two was exchanged during the dance, she though she saw the woman drift her lips along his jaw line at one point, his head moving caressingly against hers a bit later, a few steps more then one of the woman's hands came around to run the backs of her fingers across his cheekbone, resulting in a raised brow and the slightest possible smile from the short, slender blond pickpocket, one so full of promise, Julie almost lost her breath. There was nothing lewd, nothing vulgar, but it was easily the most erotic thing she had ever seen, certainly more erotic than anything she herself had ever experienced, and she was no babe in arms.

At the end of the dance, when the two went back to their table, to boisterous teasing, she turned to glare at her brother. He KNEW this, and he decided to interfere? Did he have NO idea? Garrison obviously knew; he was staring at the couple, looking much like she felt; she wondered vaguely if he was attracted to the O'Donnell woman, his gaze was so intense, his breathing hitched.

Major Richards glanced up from his drink, he was appalled at the shameless display he'd just witnessed, and embarrassed his sister had been exposed to it. He looked over to apologize, and was taken aback by the sheer fury in her face and eyes; they promised retribution in no uncertain terms. He leaned over to whisper, "Julie, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to expose you to anything like that, I had no idea they could be so, so . . ."

She whispered to him, furiously, "what, Kevin? You had no idea they could be so achingly beautiful together? What the fuck is the matter with you, brother? {"Yes, there really are times when that is the only word to use"} she thought to herself in surprise. "Have you lost your mind entirely? You want her to give up something like that, like what we just saw, that PASSION for one of your cronies here?"

Her eyes looked into his; he could see tears, an unbearable longing, "Kevin, I'd give anything, everything, to have what I just saw." She could tell he didn't have a clue what she was talking about, but she'd do her best to keep him from interfering again, she promised herself. Something that rare deserved to be protected. 

 

Goniff and Meghada made it back to the table safely, but only, thought Goniff, because he kept his hands at her waist, making sure she was so close in front of him that her body hid him from general view. He just prayed she didn't stop suddenly! They reached the table when he did have a moment of near panic when Casino suggested he fetch another pitcher since he was already up. He reddened and his eyes opened wide, both at the idea of trying to walk to the bar, and at the words from his irrepressible friend, though a quick unbelieving glance in his direction told him it had just been an unfortunately appropriate turn of phrase, not a deliberate taunt, but he didn't want to make that long walk to the bar, wasn't sure he could. Chief, sitting next to where he was standing, saw the problem, gave a quick bark of laughter and said, "no, I'll get it; I'll play waiter since we're leaving the entertaining to him; he's done with the dancing, but he might start singing any minute now if he's not careful." Ciena and Meghada knew the reference, Casino and Actor remembered quickly, as did the Garrisons'; they all looked at each other, and then over at him, now bright red, but with a wry grin on his face as uproarious laughter filled the table.

"What can I tell you blokes, she's inspiring, that's what she is!" Though he did sing later that night, at the cottage, most sweetly.

While leaving the pub, they stopped by the table where Garrison was sitting. Goniff leaned over and whispered, "See you later, Warden!?" Garrison stared after them, {'was that an invitation?' Hell, no, of course not!} and took a deep swallow of the drink in front of him. {'But if it was, if it had been, would I have the nerve?'} and almost moaned out loud at the thought.

It was Casino who noticed the trouble at the bar. "Kid's having trouble," with a frown as he started to get up from his chair.

Coura had stopped playing the piano and had stopped by the bar to accept the thanks of the bartender for the performance and a drink. There was a group of three men, from the base from the looks of them, who stepped in front of her when she moved to return to the table. At Casino's words the guys turned to look more closely, just in time to see the bigger man in the front of the trio go down, hard, with what looked like a hard fist to the balls and an elbow to the head. Stunned silence as the girl simply backed up and continued her way back to the group, leaving the other two with open mouths to pick up their buddy and leave.

Ciena asked, far more calmly than you would have expected from an older sister to a youngster after such a confrontation, "what was that about?" only to get a slight shrub.

"No big deal, too much mouth, too many hands, too many ideas, no problem," and didn't seem too inclined to say anything more about it. It was Phil, the bartender, who gave them the low-down.

"Boys braced her, asked what it felt like having a whore for a sister. She told em she wouldn't know, but she was sure they could tell her? Took em a while but when the big one figured it out, he pushed up against her, shoved her back against the bar. Asked her if her sister wasn't a whore, why'd she be spending time with a bunch of cons, dancing with em, going off with one of em like she did. Asked her again, if that wasn't being a whore, what'd that make her anyway. Youngster just smiled and told him, "lucky, mister, makes her damn lucky!" And when he asked her if she'd be as friendly to him, and tried to shove his hand up her shirt, she laid him out just as pretty as can be!"

Actor was appalled that Phil hadn't intervened, and Phil could see that, but he reassured him, "if it looked like not to be something she could have handled, I'd have stepped in, but look, be reasonable, there were only three of em!" Actor stared at him, then snorted and shook his head, went back to the table to finish the evening. Yeah, she was Clan, after all!


	2. Dancing In The Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A smile, an invitation, and Craig Garrison finds himself in a new role, one of student to a master. When class is interrupted by an impatient Kevin Richards, he finds himself in a more than a little bit of an embarrassing situation.

They were waiting for him as he left the pub a short few minutes later. Goniff's invitation to join them had ensnared him. He was breathing faster, his temperature higher than it should have been. They didn't say a word, just got in her jeep, and drove to the darkened cottage; not a word as they made their way thru the gate, into the kitchen door, til they stood inside, the door shutting away the outside world.

Then, all in shadows, he heard Goniff, a new note of command, authority in his voice that he'd never heard there before, telling him to go and make himself comfortable in the armchair in the bedroom; telling the woman to get undressed like he'd told her. They both moved to do his biding, not saying a word to him or each other, til they reached the bedroom.

"You'd be better off with the chair closer," she whispered in a deep, husky voice, helping him shift the heavy armchair forward a couple of feet. He settled down, waiting, aware he was already hot, aching, for no reason he could really determine, other than anticipation. She chuckled at him, seeming to know what he was thinking, and she slowly removed and folded her clothes. Then, she moved over to the tall post of the bed, standing propped against it, arms reaching above her head to grasp the post, leaning her head back.

Garrison thought to himself, {"that can't be comfortable!"}, but lost his train of thought as Goniff entered the room, silently looking first at Garrison, then at the woman. He moved over and slowly ran one finger over Garrison's cheek, then leaned down to kiss him deeply, reaching down to stroke him ever so lightly, and chuckle in a deep raspy voice as Garrison moaned and jerked sharply.

He turned his back on the man in the chair to look appraisingly at the woman poised in front of him. "Comfortable, luv?" he asked, and she replied, "not particularly!"

He chuckled again, "well, I imagine you'll get used to it," and reached out to stroke her slowly, from her cheek to her thigh, watching her lean into his hand. Touching her, tempting her, exciting her, all the time him still dressed in his fatigues, as if she were a toy he was playing with.

Garrison didn't know who he wanted to be in the place of, the one touching or the one being touched, he only knew he was breathing hard and sweating now, watching the play unfolding before him. He let out a moan, and that caught the attention of the man in front of him.

Goniff turned his head slowly to look at Garrison, "you can take your clothes off now," and the Lieutenant rushed to comply. "No, don't just drop them, fold them and put them on the dressing table, over there," he received a mild scolding, "don't want to send you 'ome all wrinkled and mussed." He picked up his clothes, folded them and walked them over to place them where he'd been told, very conscious that he was now totally naked, his excitement fully revealed.

"Come here, Craig," the Englishman told him, and when he was beside the couple, proceeded to follow the other instructions he was given by his pickpocket. He faced the woman, arched up against the post, and allowed himself to be taught, relishing her soft exclamations of delight. He gave way to impulse, turned to kiss Goniff on his wide mouth. That was allowed, but then he was pushed gently away, with a "you've not earned that, nor anything like, not yet,"

He listened, trembling as he was directed onward. He groaned, "no, I can't . . ."

"Of course, you can. I intend to see you're trained right, and for that I have to be able to see what you are doing, be able to give directions, correct any mistakes, you know. I could just show you," he laughed, "but I think you'd be so caught up in what was happening that you'd not really learn how it's done. And I intend for you to be trained right." Craig's breathing grew shallow as he thought of what he'd just heard, and he whimpered now, sounding not unlike the woman. He was unbearably eager, though he wasn't sure what part he was so eager to play out; the possibilities had him close to losing control. Step by step he was guided, was taught, and was so intent he was barely conscious of the calm, encouraging voice tell him, "there, just like that, Craig. That's how you do it."

Then a crisp, impatient voice said, "Oh, for . . . ! No, that's not how to do it! His timing's off! He'd got the rhythm all wrong! That's just not the proper way at all!" and he recognized Major Richards' plumy voice! He yelled in dismay and snapped his head around at a jerk, felt himself falling, landing with a painful thud. 

Then, the sound of running feet, door slamming open, and "Warden?!"

"What the bloody 'ell is 'e doin on tha floor?"

"Hey, Warden, what's up? Yer wrapped up like a mummy there, man!"

He looked at them in amazement, as they stood looking down at him, looked around to recognize his bedroom at the Mansion. He gulped, his breathing hard and ragged like he'd just come off the obstacle course.

"Warden? Ya have a nightmare, man?" Casino said as he frowned down at him. Garrison was staring at the tousled blond head poking around Casino's shoulder, puzzled frown on his sleepy face.

"Musta been a doozy, 'e's all covered in sweat and shaky like," came from the little pickpocket in his now much too familiar raspy voice.

"You think the Warden's sick?," a quiet voice asked as Chief came to the side.

"I shouldn't think so," Actor replied, "At least, he seemed fine when he left the pub with us tonight, and he was talkative enough on the ride back to the Mansion. No, probably just a dream," though he looked at Garrison with a puzzled frown, seeing the way Garrison was staring at their Englishman, like he'd seen a ghost or worse. "Though just how he managed to get that wound up in his sheets, I'd never guess."

Casino quipped, "Probably having to spend the entire evening with Major Richards and those fancy friends a his would give any one a nightmare or two, right? Well, he should just be grateful we gave him an excuse to leave with us, otherwise he'd have been stuck with them all the way to closing time. All except the little Limey, that is, what with him having a 'prior engagement'," and they all laughed, Goniff blushing and hanging his head slightly.

"Just sayin' good night proper, mates, that's all!"

Actor ignored all that, just taunting Casino, "that is what you call that scuffle you got into, an 'excuse to get him out of there'? I'll be sure to remind him of that in the morning when he has to pay for the damages at the pub!"

They got him to his feet, got him unwrapped, well as much as he'd let them since he wasn't at all sure what he'd find when he was totally free of the sheet, and settled back down on the side of the bed, shooing them out. They all said goodnight, with Goniff lingering, still frowning at him

"Ya sure I can't bring you something, Warden? You don't look so good. If ya want to talk about it, the nightmare, I mean, I'd be glad to listen, ya know," Goniff offered earnestly, still frowning slightly in his usual mother hen concerned fashion. Garrison couldn't reassure him fast enough, and the little thief wandered on back to his own cot, pausing to look behind him with a puzzled frown.

{'Now just how am I supposed to look either of them in the eye tomorrow?? Or Richards, either! TALK about my nightmare, oh, no, not in this lifetime!!'} He finished unwrapping the sheets, realizing with a groan that he'd been very right not to let them unwrap him totally!

The bed back in somewhat of an order, he crawled in, arranged himself on his pillow. Soon . . . 'They were waiting for him as he left the pub . . .'


End file.
